What the emerging world order means for Greece

Trump and Turkey share a disdain for truth and international law, but Greece can outmatch that bond as a dependable ally in a shifting world

Enter Donald Trump (Alex Brandon, AP)

The past few days have made clear that Donald Trump’s presidency is going to be a period of unsettlement in world affairs. Before even assuming office, Trump appeared to abolish the United States’ role as leading defender of the current world order, and to put it among the principal challengers, Russia and China.

During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on January 7, as president Jimmy Carter’s funeral procession wended its way through the highways of Georgia, Trump called Carter’s 1977 relinquishing of direct control over the Panama Canal a “disgrace”, and said he would claim direct control over Greenland.

Asked by a reporter, “Can you assure the world that as you try to get control of [Greenland and Panama] you’re not going to use military or economic coercion?”, Trump replied, “No… I can’t assure you about either of those two, but I can say this: we need them for economic security.”